Which firm for IP Lit/Trans, Antitrust, and int'l opps? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Have CBs with all three, and I'm trying to rank them in my mind if the choice comes along. I'm interested in patent litigation or transactional work, antitrust, and opportunities to work in these areas abroad. Weil is ranked higher on Vault, calls NY its home, and has a fairly strong international presence. WilmerHale seems more humane and strong in all things tech, and I don't think I would mind the smaller NY office, as long as the office doesn't feel like a satellite office where work is handed to it from Boston. Sidley seems strong in antitrust, IP, and regulatory work but maybe more so at their DC office. Got any ideas about morale, reputation, and exit options for these three?

[GeePee]

Have CBs with all three, and I'm trying to rank them in my mind if the choice comes along. I'm interested in patent litigation or transactional work, antitrust, and opportunities to work in these areas abroad. Weil is ranked higher on Vault, calls NY its home, and has a fairly strong international presence. WilmerHale seems more humane and strong in all things tech, and I don't think I would mind the smaller NY office, as long as the office doesn't feel like a satellite office where work is handed to it from Boston. Sidley seems strong in antitrust, IP, and regulatory work but maybe more so at their DC office. Got any ideas about morale, reputation, and exit options for these three?

I think with this combination of interests, Weil has to be your choice. Weil's IP practice is underrated and actually strong, and in the other two areas the firm is extremely strong. My personal opinion is that WilmerHale's selectivity at the New York office reflects more of the overall firm reputation and not the strength of this office itself. If we were talking Wilmer or Sidley DC, this might be a different conversation.

Plus, most associates I've spoken to at Weil are quite happy and the Vault "Best Firms to Work For" ranking confirms this (even though I recognize these rankings aren't the best ever). Formerly, deferrals would have been a concern, but the spring bonuses and overall outlook of the partnership seem to suggest that this won't be a big issue this year. We'll see.

[Old Gregg]

Weil's IP practice is underrated and actually strong,

If anything, it's overrated. Matt Powers's departure as well as the Paul Weiss raid have pretty much guaranteed Weil's removal from the top tier of intellectual property firms. And if there is still any expertise left, it's probably mostly out of their Redwood Shores office rather than out of NYC. The current Chambers rankings peg Weil in Band 3 in NYC, and that's without accounting for Groombridge's departure to Paul Weiss.

[Anonymous User]

Weil's IP practice is underrated and actually strong,

If anything, it's overrated. Matt Powers's departure as well as the Paul Weiss raid have pretty much guaranteed Weil's removal from the top tier of intellectual property firms. And if there is still any expertise left, it's probably mostly out of their Redwood Shores office rather than out of NYC. The current Chambers rankings peg Weil in Band 3 in NYC, and that's without accounting for Groombridge's departure to Paul Weiss.

OP here. That's a bit concerning. I had heard about some departures, but I didn't realize that Goombridge, a co-head of the national IP lit practice, is leaving for Paul Weiss. Is there any reason why all of these IP litigators have been leaving? Is it PPP? Is this a sign about the faltering health of the firm generally? And if you think the IP practice is overrated, which firm would you pick in the alternative?

[Old Gregg]

Weil's IP practice is underrated and actually strong,

If anything, it's overrated. Matt Powers's departure as well as the Paul Weiss raid have pretty much guaranteed Weil's removal from the top tier of intellectual property firms. And if there is still any expertise left, it's probably mostly out of their Redwood Shores office rather than out of NYC. The current Chambers rankings peg Weil in Band 3 in NYC, and that's without accounting for Groombridge's departure to Paul Weiss.

OP here. That's a bit concerning. I had heard about some departures, but I didn't realize that Goombridge, a co-head of the national IP lit practice, is leaving for Paul Weiss. Is there any reason why all of these IP litigators have been leaving? Is it PPP? Is this a sign about the faltering health of the firm generally? And if you think the IP practice is overrated, which firm would you pick in the alternative?

Groombridge already left.

I'm not sure it's technically a sign of anything intrinsic to Weil. Matt Powers decided to start his own little patent litigation boutique, which seems to be an increasing trend among star patent litigators today. With regard to the laterals, it's just firms with deep pockets (Paul Weiss now has a $3mm+ PPP) taking from the firms with not-so-deep pockets. This is something that will continue to happen and it helps to be at a firm with sky-high PPP for just that reason.

I honestly don't know enough about Wilmer or Sidley's New York IP practice to say what you should choose. I was just disputing geepee's post that Weil is "underrated" in IP. With these departures, it's anything but.

I don't think Weil is unhealthy. I just sort of view Weil as outstanding in bankruptcy and solidly mediocre in just about everything else.

[agm82]

Matt Powers decided to start his own little patent litigation boutique, which seems to be an increasing trend among star patent litigators today.

Two data points is probably too few to call something a trend.

[Old Gregg]

Matt Powers decided to start his own little patent litigation boutique, which seems to be an increasing trend among star patent litigators today.

Two data points is probably too few to call something a trend.

I appreciate the sarcasm, but they aren't the first to do what they did.

[Blindmelon]

Weil or Wilmer.

[spondee]

Antitrust is a DC-focused practice area; few firms do that work in NY. OP, you should look at Chambers rankings -- http://www.chambersandpartners.com/USA/ -- and think a little more about what you want to do, because if you're focused on these firms in NY, you probably won't be doing antitrust work. Of these three, Weil is the only one that's even ranked for antitrust in its NY office.

[Anonymous User]

OP here.

Antitrust is a DC-focused practice area; few firms do that work in NY. OP, you should look at Chambers rankings -- http://www.chambersandpartners.com/USA/ -- and think a little more about what you want to do, because if you're focused on these firms in NY, you probably won't be doing antitrust work. Of these three, Weil is the only one that's even ranked for antitrust in its NY office.

Thanks for the tip. Yes, I am aware that antitrust and regulatory work are much bigger in D.C., but between the bad job market there (and everywhere) and the fact that I have no ties to D.C., I decided NY was the best place to start my career. Now, the best I can do is not let my location completely determine the fields in which I work and to at least try to work in my original practice areas of interest. If things don't work out in 3 or 4 years, there will always be opportunities to go elsewhere. My short term goal is to get experience in areas that will lead to desired future jobs in govt, a boutique, or in house.

[Anonymous User]

OP again. Um, what happened to the poll? It was Weil, Wilmer, then Sidley, and now, I check and Sidley is ahead. Thoughts?

[Anonymous User]

Nobody knows + small sample size

[Blindmelon]

OP again. Um, what happened to the poll? It was Weil, Wilmer, then Sidley, and now, I check and Sidley is ahead. Thoughts?

Law students have this weird love of Sidley for absolutely no reason.

[Anonymous User]

OP is back, if this thread isn't completely dead. I haven't heard from Wilmerhale, so I'm counting it out. Weil or Sidley NY? Vault and Chambers would suggest Weil is better for the areas specified, but with the partners leaving, I don't know whether it's going to move down the rankings in the next couple of years. At the CB, an IP litigator told me the firm is actively hiring in its IP department, was pretty open about the partners who left, and said it is their intention to hire more junior associates to replenish it. Not sure what that means for the work I'd be getting...

[Anonymous User]

OP. Just got an offer from WilmerHale too! Now I really do need help.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone got anything to add?

[Anonymous User]

OP - just want to say, I ended up picking Sidley!